Apparatus for purifying water



' (No Model.)

' J. W. MAGKI-NTOSH. APPARATUS `15'013, PURIFYING WATER. No. 370,798.

Wham@ h UNITED STATES PATENT Ormea.

JOHN W. MACKINTOSH, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING WATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 370,798, dated October4, 1887.

Application led October 14, 1886. Serial No. 216,249. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J oHN W. MAoxINTosH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State yofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDevices for Purifying Liquids; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and tolette/rs or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

This invention relates to devices for purifying liquids in which wateror other liquid, as it passes through the apparatus, is subjected to theinfluence of a disinfectant, preferably chloride of zinc; and itconsists of apparatus whereby more or less surface of said disinfectant,generally in cake form, may be exposed to the body of liquid; hence thequantity which is dissolved and carried onward in the fluidcurrent isregulated as circumstances may dictate.

v In the drawings accompanying this specilication, Figure 1 represents avertical section of an apparatus embodying my invention, while Fig. 2 isa similar view, but transversely thereof on line x x. Fig. 3 is asectional clevation of the disinfectant-supply box, taken isometrically.

Hitherto in apparatus of the class above premised it has been customaryto use a receptacle containing a main chamber, in which the disinfectantwas placed, being at first introduced in a dry condition and either as apowder or in the form of lumps. Subsequently by the admission of waterit was renderedan integral mass or lump, care being taken by means ofthe insertion of a plug or core, afterward withdrawn, or by other means,to preserve a space for a channel through which the liquid afterwardintroduced may maintain a current. In this method it was necessary, in

order to insure the iinal and' complete consumption of the entire bodyof the disinfectant, that the water in this main chamber shouldconstantly stand high enough to completely cover` the mass ofdisinfectant, in consequence of which the water had constant action upona large area of exposed surface of said disinfectant, and thus ofnecessity dissolved and carried it away too fast, and no adequate meanswere employed for changing and regulating this exposed surface, so as toprevent the too rapid dissolution of the disinfectant and its consequentwaste. Now, I find that it is preferable to use prepared cakes ofdisinfecting material and maintain them, all but a small immersedportion 'of the lowest cake, entirely above and away from the liquid, sothat the percentage dissolved may be accurately regulated, and in thepresent instance I have endeavored to obviate and remedy the loss andwaste which now occurs by my apparatus, as hereinafter described. 1

In the drawings, A represents a box or case, in which are placedasupply-pipe, a, and drip= cock b, through whichthe water or otherliquid to be disinfected is furnished and delivered through the spout orfunnel B into a disinfecting-tank, C, whence it is discharged th roughthe pipe a after combining with a certain amount of the chloride ofzinc, which has a great affinity therefor., This tank is to be madepreferably of hard rubber, to prevent chemical action thereupon by thechloride or other salt, and is provided with an interiorlyvertically-arranged partition, c. The latter does not extend quite downto the bottom of the tank, and thereby a passage is afforded for theoverflow of the liquid into the spout D. Moreover, this partitionextends above the lower or overflow edge, d, of said spout, but is notquite flush with the top of the tank; hence, in case obstruction shouldoccur below, there is no possibility of overflowing the tank at the top.

The box for retaining the supply of disinfectant, generally in cakeform, is shown at E as composed of metallic plates or an integral platebent to a proper form, and is further provided with a perforated bottom.In lieu thereof, wire-cloth s may be employed. To ascertain at a glancewhether the supply of disinfecting material needs replenishing, I havecut out or slotted the front of this box E, as shown at t. To preventthe cakes as they feed downward by gravity from striking against theedge of the plate e, I have bent this outwardly, and thereby obviatedany dif- IOO ieulty which might arise from the cakes of disinfeetingmaterial lodging and sticking against it, which would prevent properfeed movement.

To adjust the immersion of the supply-box or its height with respect tothe level of the liquid in thetank, I have affixed twointeriorlyscrew-threaded ears, f f, with which engage twoadjusting-screws, g g. The latter rest upon and are ksupported by twobars, h h, which straddle the tank C and are adjustable thereupon. Thusit is evident that in order'to expose more or less of the surface of thedisinfectant, and thereby cause more or less rapid dissolving of thematerial composing it, the adjustingscrews are altered to lower orraise, respectively, the supply-box containing the chloride of zinc orother salt. After a few trials the proper position can readily beascertained to suit any particular location where more or less of thedisinfectant is required.

I have found the most uniform results have been secured by employing atine wire or perforated bottom in the supply-box, which is slightlyimmersed in the liquid in the tank. Thereby I permit only a smallportion of the disinfectant to bein contact with the liquid, the bulkbeing held above in an undissolved condition and fed along by gravity,the cakes above falling as the submerged ones dissolve through contactwith the liquid passing through the apparatus. Since the liquid whichhas been fully influenced by the disinfectant is denser, it is found atthe extreme lower por tion or bottom of said tank, and, being in a fitcondition to pass away, I make the outlet at the bottom thereof, andthen extend the discharge-pipe or the partition forming the same almostto the top of said tank C.

The operation of this apparatus is as follows: The disinfectant,preferably in cake form, is introduced within the supply-box E, which isfilled. Liquid is then admitted into the tank C, and the adjusting-screws a g are altered to permit the supply-box to be immersed asuitable distance, carrying with it the cakes. Thus the area of theirsubmerged portions is dependent upon circumstances and the will of theworkman. Hence a certain area of disinfecting material is exposed totheeffects of the siones liquid and agreater or less amount is absorbed ina given time,dependent upon the immersed surface.

The essential feature, and what I consider embodies the gist of myinvention, is the adjustment of the apparatus by which the amount ofdisinfecting material exposed to the liquid' may be regulated,andcombined therewith the continuous gravity feed dependent upon andoperated by the wasting away or dissolving of such material in theliquid. Hence the proper percentage thereof is united with the liquid tothoroughly disinfect it, and at the same time the feed is automatic andpositive, while no unnecessary waste occurs.

I claiml. The combination, with the disinfecting tank C and its supplyand discharge pipes a a', of the supply-box Ewith an open or perforatedbottom and adjustably mounted upon the tank,whereby the fluid contentsof the latter are more or less impregnated with the disinfectant,substantially as herein stated.

2. In combination with the tank C, its overflow-spout D, and bars h It,the supplybox E, provided with the perforated bottom s, the ears ff, andthe adj usting-screws g g, cooperating with said bars or supports toregulate theimmersed surface of thedisinfcctant,substantially as hereindescribed.

3. The supply-box E, constructed as described, the tank C, and itsoverflow-spout I), in combination with the partition c, arranged withinsaid tank to compel the impregnated liquid to pass from the bottom andbe discharged through said spout, substantially for purposes set forth.

4. In a device for purifying liquid, the disinfectantsupply boxconstructed with a foraminous bottom,'s, supporting-brackets h 7L, theopening t, and curved plate e, the entirety being adjustably mountedupon liquid-containing tank, substantially as herein stated.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN XV. MACKINTOSH.

Witnesses:

H. E. LODGE, LEMUEL STANWooD.

